Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-09-29

IL
IL didn't hear you drive in the yard,
ma am" he said. in mild. apologize
tone. Then he put on his spectaclea
'.Why, it, you, Janet" he exclaimed.
"Why, come in! heard you was ex-
pected back this fall. and here you be;
but there amt soul home but me and
Miranda, all the rest having gone over
to Nine Partners Corners to funeral
Cousin Silas' wife's funeral. and its
lucky couldn't 60 on account of hav-
ing had a mean cold for a week.
He led me into the sitting-room.
which was not changed in the least OK
cept for new oilclOth table cover. A
sheet-iron stove sent out a quivering
heat, a paper pinwheel on the top
whirling around furiously in the hot
current of air. and through the bits OF
isinglass the baleful CLEAN of the fire
shone red. After l had taken off hat
and jacket and sat down in high
backed rocking chair, Uncle Eph be-
gan to tell me all that had happened
in the last three years; but we soon
drifted into talk of the remote past
when Mary and had been wont to
break young steers to the yoke, or try
to, and he related anecdotes Of our
pranks as if must have forgotten
them. 1t seemed to give him pleasure,
and he rambled from one thing to an
other until Miranda, an old colored
woman who had always been old, and
always lived with the GrOots, came
into the sitting-room to bring cider
and crullers, and to see the visitor.
She needed no spectacles to recognize
me, but while her eyes were as sharp
as ever, she had grown SO deaf that all
my attempts to say pleasant things
were efforts made in vain. She trOtted
back to the kitchen and l heard her
cracking hickory-nuts. She remem-
bered how fond l was of them.
Miranda is ageing fast" said Uncle
Eph. land so we all are, except you
and Mary. Mary, she's thinking of
getting married in the spring, but we
don't know how we can spare her.
Did you pick up a sweetheart over
there in Europe?'
l shook my head and he added:
''Well. l guess it is just as good you
didn't. Getting married is a great
risk
This was a remark he had been max
ing for many years, and although he
was of simple, confding nature.
none of the designing country spinsters
or widows could cajole him out of his
bachelorhood. He seemed perfectly
satisfied to dwell under his brothers
roof and spoil his brothers children.
Mary and the rest used to impose upon
him, for he could refuse us nothing,
while Uncle George Groot, who owned
Tie farm. would sometimes scold us or
box our ears, Uncle Eph yielded to our
most unreasonable demands without a
murmur He was well-to-do, like all
the family, and the dairy was his spe-
cial care. He would start out before
daybreak to serve milk to his CUSTOM
ers in town, and return late in the
forenoon, reading the newspaper to the
music of the jingling empty tin cans.
YES" he repeated. getting mar
ricd is great risk. got married my
self just after you went away. but T
hadn't ought to have done it, for was
close on to sixty. and l want cut out
for husband"
married." exclaimed. Nobody
wrote me word about it."
"Well, it want much of a marry,
but I'll tell you about it before the
folks come home. George don't tax !,
the right view of it; George, he don't
mOre'n half know me-he don't I'M
derstand me at all. Now, it's cur u.s."
Uncle Eph continued, in a reflective
tone, show there can be streak in a
man that don't show till he getssold.
and then all of sudden crops Out.
He rose, and taking his pipe from the
mantel filled it neatly, pressing the
tobacco down with his blunt thumb.
81 s'pose, Janet, that you think I'm
q good-natered old fellOw?"
Eyes, and Kind o'given to soft-saw-
der. eh?" l nodded.
"Easy-g going and clever7 Well, l
amt nothing of the sort. like to talk
loud, and stomp, and swear, and chuck
plates"
He stood before me holding a match
until the sulphurous flame caught the
wood, o picture of mild, serene, low
able old man. Because he was stay
ing in the house, he wore gay red
and yellow dressing-gown and pair
of knitted slippers. and a white hand
kerchief tied about his neck lent u GER
tain benign look to his face. After he
had lighted his pipe. he took a tea
spoonful of mixture from tumble on
the mantel and then sat down again
beside me. saying:
'You know the Bcrrys?''
They keep a grocery store in Clover
street. don't they?"
Eyes, old Peter used to keep the